Hail Dionysos

Can anybody source this photo? I think it’s amazing. Wine, mask, leopard skin, snake… whoever made this, did his/her research.

A Syncretic Advent

Yes, I'm celebrating Advent. Of course, by Advent I don't mean the Christian one but my own. Actually, I think it's more accurate to say not the purely Christian Advent nor the pre-Christian one, but the joining of both. A syncretic Advent. After all, to go back to the ways of my ancestors and bring them into the current age, I must cross hundreds of years of Christianity. Surely, some original Christian traditions have crept into our modern Paganisms, and that's not necessarily a bad thing.

In our family's cultus (which includes Catholic traditions for some of us), I have retained the lighting of 4 Advent candles to herald the coming of the Saviour (which could be Christ's birth or Dionysos' rule, depending on who you ask in our family), and a 5th white candle to mark the rebirth of the Unconquerable Sun.

In addition, I have made it into a tradition to hang symbolic gifts on the Holiday Tree every week of Advent. On the 1st Sunday, I hung 12 candy canes to represent the 12 months of the year; and this Sunday, I perched 2 ornamental birds to represent the Sun's companions, Dawn and Dusk.

What will I hang on the 3rd Sunday? We'll all have to wait and see.

Katallageia and Hermaia

Before I post pictures of last night's Noumênia rites, let me share two modern Greek festivals that are happening tomorrow and the day after tomorrow.

Quoting the calendar of Neos Alexandria:

Hermaia EriouniaThis modern Greek festival occurs on 4 Audenaios (the Makedonian equivalent of Maimakteriôn). 

Festival of Hermes as Luck-bringer - games, role-reversal, gambling. Sacrifices for good luck for the coming year.

Katallageia ("Reconciliation")This modern Greek festival occurs on 5-6 Audenaios. 

This festival celebrates the resolution of the antagonism between Hephaistos and his mother Hera. On the first day Hephaistos is banished from Olympos. His image is concealed and all fires are extinguished and technology avoided, since this is what the world would be like without the god. No lights are permitted to be lit, whether lamps or electric ones. All food consumed on this day must be eaten raw, without the benefit of fire. Avoid television, radio, internet, or other electrical devices unless your job depends on these and if possible walk to work. Spend the day in gloomy meditation, thinking about all the ways that the Smith god impacts our lives, and how horrible it would be without him. Then around midnight bring the image of Hephaistos out of hiding: present him before the image of Hera and pour out bowls of wine since Dionysos is the one who facilitated their reconciliation. Turn on all the lights in your home and celebrate the joyous return of Hephaistos with offerings to him, Dionysos, and Hera.